What projects work best for TIF district? (04/01/06)

Now that the dust has settled from Portland’s decision to create a redevelopment district and capture tax revenues via tax increment financing, it’s time to start talking about what sort of infrastructure projects the city might take on to spur new growth.

Though those decisions have yet to be made, Mayor Bruce Hosier has mentioned two which make good sense.

One is the extension of Lafayette Street west from Creagor Avenue to Industrial Park Drive. Currently, Lafayette ends near Milton Miller Park and Portland Place Apartments.

An extension would open up the possibility of better access to FCC (Indiana)’s growing plant from the south and could spur further development of Heritage Commons retirement community and other facilities related to the Jay County Hospital campus.

On top of that, the land which would become available for development is primarily owned by the Johnny and Margaret Finch Charitable Trust, which has been a generous supporter of many of the Jay County community’s non-profit organizations. Making that land more valuable benefits everyone.

The other idea floated by Mayor Hosier is the widening of Industrial Park Drive to allow for a central left-turn-only lane.

The route is already busy during shift-change periods for local industry, and the development of the Wal-Mart SuperCenter is sure to increase the traffic dramatically.

Our guess is that the Industrial Park Drive intersection with West Votaw Street will be one of the busiest in the county before the year is out.

As soon as possible, the state ought to be nudged about getting a traffic light installed there.

In other words, there are plenty of projects that can be undertaken.

And the TIF district provides a mechanism for taking those projects on. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]